


reach

by yourgirlislovely



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, a dash of angst, a hint of undercover au, and some pining sprinkled on, two cups of indulgence, winterprincess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:14:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25665727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourgirlislovely/pseuds/yourgirlislovely
Summary: A post-mortem between our favorite princess and the former winter soldier after an undercover mission.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Shuri
Comments: 6
Kudos: 21





	reach

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wakandawinterprincess](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wakandawinterprincess/gifts).



> This is what you get when wakandawinterprincess and I get to talking about her edits specifically this one here: https://wakandawinterprincess.tumblr.com/post/625287055239413760/wakandawinterprincess-you-and-me-undercover
> 
> Go check it and give her some love, she truly is a beacon of encouragement and talent in the WP fandom! 
> 
> Kudos and Reviews are welcome, as always! Any spelling/grammar mistakes are my own. If something is wrong, just let me know and I can correct it.

* * *

Bucky’s hand hovers over the keypad to enter the lab. 

He knows she’s just behind that door, immersed in her work like nothing happened a few weeks ago. 

Well, nothing did happen. To her at least. 

* * *

_-3 weeks before -_

“Have you lost your mind!? You could have compromised the entire mission!”

  
  


The Gate-Col CEO, their target ( and now knocked out cold), is carried away by the Wakandan authorities to be interrogated for suspicion of vibranium smuggling under the watchful eye of Okoye as T’challa and Nakia handle the swarm of spectators and the press. All is good. 

Well, almost.

There is the problem of a very angry Wakandan princess glaring daggers at him, waiting for some justification that she can tear apart. Some reasoning behind Bucky’s decision to render their suspect _unconscious_ in a crowded gala filled with journalists and cameras ( which undoubtedly captured the entire incident).

She is fuming. 

She is beautiful, he thinks. 

  
  


And of all the reasons he could give her, the truth is not one of them. So he tries to get as close to it as he can.

“He tried to drug you” is Bucky’s response after chasing down the vague memory of a small vial with clear liquid the son of bitch pulled from his suit jacket being poured into her drink when Shuri looks away for just a moment. 

(Bucky pushes away the part where the asshole gets too close to her, his wrinkled hand slowly making its way down past her shoulders, to the small of her back, to the curve of _—_ )

“And you think I didn’t know that?”, she scoffs pointing at her kimoyo beads, “ you think I’d be stupid enough to not think that a creep like him would try to take advantage?”

  
  


“No, that’s not what I meant, I _—_ ”

She raises her hand to stop him. “ It isn’t what you meant because it isn’t true.”

To that, he cannot answer. 

Shuri looks away from him, but he sees the single tear that threatens to fall from the corner of her eye. 

It takes all his restraint to swallow the words that rushed to the back of his throat, thrashing to come out. Words that cross a line in this relationship with his- the princess, where claims of friendship barely keep him above water. 

  
  


Her voice breaks through the silence. “ You know, you being my bodyguard was just a cover. But that’s not true, is it? I’m always someone you feel indebted to protect. Nothing more.”

Shuri spares him one final look before walking away towards T’challa.

* * *

_-Now-_

  
  


Week after week, her silence pokes more holes in him than he likes to admit until he finds himself standing in front of the lab entrance just a few minutes ago.

  
  
  


“If you’re going to just stand there, you might as well come in.” Shur’s voice echoes over the intercom, opening the door for him. 

Bucky steps into the lab and makes his way to the princess. She does not look up, as she reviews her notes muttering to herself.

_He recalls the countless hours he’s spent here with her occasional murmurs as the only noise. The quiet and peace that blankets the chaos of his memory and the many times he’s felt safe._ _And the budding hope that after everything that’s gone wrong in his life, that this —meeting her and knowing her and loving her—is the one thing that’s gone right._

Something did happen. Just to him though. 

  
  
  


“What do you want Barnes?” 

He finches at the sound of his last name, the cold tone that surrounds it. She still does not turn around to face him, her head down at the hologram. 

“We need to talk.”

  
  


A pause. She turns her head towards him, her expression nonchalant. 

  
  


“Not interested.” 

“Shuri, please we need to -.”

  
  


His words are enough to turn her around, her work and notes abandoned. 

_“ We?!”_ , She seethes. “ As far as I understand, there is no we. There is you and your delusional sense of whatever _we_ are. I do not fit into this equation. “

_Whatever solace the quiet between them gave him before is slowly slipping away._

  
  


“That’s not true and you know it princess.” His voice quiets down to give it some semblance of calm. 

“Then what is true !?!“, her frustration now at a full volume. “Dammit I _—_ ” 

She rubs her face with her hands. “Five years. That’s how long we’ve known each other. And you still don’t trust me.”

He takes a step forward, “ Shuri that’s not what _—_ ”

  
  


“Please let me finish.” 

Hurt is all she is now. Her indifference from before fades into a tremble, the tears flow freely now. 

“You don’t trust me with whatever it is you're feeling. You had every chance to say something to me that night. You-you could have said something to T’Challa or Nakia. “

  
  


She pauses, swallowing. He’s holding his breath as she lingers too close to the truth. 

“And it isn’t just that! It’s- it’s just. There are times when I think we’re at that point of something meaningful and then _—_ ”, she lets out a hollow laugh “ _And then._ It’s gone. The moment I catch wind of it, it’s gone and I’m so far away from you.”

And the words are at full force slamming themselves against the roof of his mouth sounding a lot like love and it’s _killing_ him to hold onto them any longer.

Shuri wraps her arms around her. 

"What are we doing here James? For Bast’s sake, what do I need to do because you and I, we _—_ ”, she lets out her breath. 

“ I always seem to be stuck in a place where I can never reach you." 

  
  
  


Nothing. Nothing in his mouth dying to leave him behind. Words can’t help, they never did in his case. 

But he moves. A single thought is all he has now as he steps closer to her and hopes that as he pulls her lips to his, it’s enough. It’s just enough to let her know that he’s stuck with her etched into the remains of his heart.

_She has to know._

_She deserves to know._

  
  
  


  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
